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Feds: Pot farmer confessed to keeping girl in box

The Associated Press

Updated:
08/02/2013 09:46:19 AM EDT

SAN FRANCISCO—Federal prosecutors say one of the two men accused of sexually abusing a 15-year-old girl, keeping her captive in a metal box and forcing her to work on a large Northern California marijuana growing operation has confessed.

Court documents filed in the case against 30-year-old Ryan Balletto and 24-year-old Patrick Pearmain say prosecutors obtained a recorded confession from Balletto.

Both men are scheduled to enter pleas Friday in federal court in San Francisco. They have been charged with marijuana possession and using a minor in drug operations.

Authorities allege Balletto and Pearmain used the girl to cut marijuana buds at a Lake County property and had sex with her.

The girl from the Los Angeles area told investigators she was kept in a 4 by 2-foot box.